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    Home » German Recipes

    Yeast-Raised Pumpkin Donuts (Pumpkin Berliner)

    Published: Nov 17, 2019 · Modified: Oct 11, 2022 by dirndlkitchen · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Yeast-raised pumpkin donuts are as addictive as it gets! The donuts are fluffy on the inside, while having a light crunch on the outside. I get rave reviews every time I make them! Since this is a traditional German recipe, I am also calling them Berliners (what filled donuts without a hole are called in Germany), and YOU WILL need to make my classic German Berliner donuts next!

    These pumpkin donuts have pumpkin in the batter and local pumpkin butter in the filling. Rolling them in cinnamon sugar is the final touch that makes them irresistible and perfect. Pumpkin Berliner are perfect for celebrating the start of Fastnacht season (German carnival) on November 11th, Friends- and Thanksgiving or just because to enjoy with a cup of coffee.

    plate of a Pumpkin Berliner torn open on a plate surrounded by more German donuts

    How to make pumpkin donuts

    I personally don't love cake donuts, and all pumpkin donuts I have had in the USA were cake donuts. So I put myself on a mission to make a yeast-raised pumpkin donut and I SUCCEEDED! I love the fluffy texture of the inside of this pumpkin donut, combined with the crunchy sugar coating on the outside.

    pumpkin donuts piled high on a footed server.

    These donuts are deep-fried (I don't have a deep fryer at home, so I include my simple frying instructions in the recipe card below), then rolled in cinnamon sugar while still hot and finally filling them with a locally sourced pumpkin butter. I get RAVE REVIEWS about these every time I make them!

    a bunch of sugar-coated pumpkin donuts on the kitchen counter.

    Donuts during carnival season in Germany

    Just when you thought you had seen enough pumpkin for the season, along comes this yeast-raised pumpkin donut recipe just in time for the start of Fastnacht season, the German carnival. This is a traditional German Krapfen or Berliner recipe and they are THE sweet treat during Fastnacht in Germany. They are one of my favorite German bakery items! During carnival, they appear as a classic donut with different fillings, usually jam. To be honest, I can't say I have ever seen a pumpkin version in Germany, BUT I LOVE IT! I enjoy mine with a cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon.

    deep frying pumpkin donuts in a pot with a thermometer

    Ingredients

    Here the simple few ingredients needed to make your own pumpkin donuts at home.

    • Flour. I use standard all purpose flour.
    • Yeast. Active dry yeast is what I use.
    • Milk. Barely warm temperature to help activate the yeast. You could substitute for other non-dairy milk here.
    • Pumpkin Puree. I used canned puree, but feel free to make your own if you would like.
    • Egg Yolks. You'll use just the yellow of the eggs. Save the whites to make German coconut macaroons or Zimtsterne!
    • Sugar. Just plain cane sugar.
    ingredients for German Pumpkin Berliner
    • Butter. I use salted, grass-fed butter.
    • Vanilla Extract. Just a touch.
    • Pumpkin Spice. I make my own using Pioneer Woman's recipe and keep it in these pretty spice jars.
    • Salt. Just a pinch to help bring out the flavors a bit more.
    • Cinnamon Sugar. I mix one third cinnamon with two thirds sugar.
    • Pumpkin Butter. I used locally purchased pumpkin butter, but I also love Trader Joe's pumpkin butter.

    Video

    Here a quick video showing you just how easy and how beautiful these pumpkin donuts are!

    pumpkin donut torn in half sitting on a plate

    Yeast-Raised Pumpkin Donuts (Berliner)

    Yeast-raised pumpkin donuts are as addictive as it gets! The donuts are fluffy on the inside, while having a light crunch on the outside. Since this is a traditional German recipe, I am also calling them Berliners (what filled donuts without a hole are called in Germany), and YOU WILL need to make my classic German Berliner donuts next!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Resting Time 1 hr 30 mins
    Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
    Course Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Dessert, Kaffee
    Cuisine German
    Servings 12 donuts
    Calories 340 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 Filling Tip
    • 1 Pastry Bag
    • 1 Frying Thermometer

    Ingredients
     
     

    Dough

    • 500 g all-purpose flour
    • 1 pouch active-dry yeast
    • 150 ml milk barely warm
    • 150 g puréed pumpkin
    • 4 egg yolks Room temperature. save the whites to make German coconut macaroons or Zimtsterne!
    • 80 g sugar
    • 60 g butter room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice I follow this recipe to make my own.
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt a pinch

    Other

    • frying oil
    • cinnamon sugar I mix one third cinnamon with two thirds sugar. This is for coating the donuts right after frying.

    Filling

    • 1 jar pumpkin butter I used a locally made kind

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the luke warm milk and yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. It should be bubbly. If not, start over (your milk may have been too hot or too cold).
      150 ml milk, 1 pouch active-dry yeast
    • In the bowl of a standmixer, combine all ingredients for the dough and knead for 10 minutes on the medium-low setting. Cover the bowl and allow to rest in a warm spot until doubled in size, about one hour.
      500 g all-purpose flour, 150 g puréed pumpkin, 4 egg yolks, 80 g sugar, 60 g butter, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice, ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • Divide the dough up into equal pieces (50 to 60 grams each - 1.7 to 2.1 ounces each, best to use a kitchen scale), and using flour-dusted hands, shape each portion into a ball. Allow to rest for another 30 minutes (covered up by a clean linen towel).
    • Preheat frying oil (I used safflower oil) to 160°C/320°F and bake in batches (you will want the donuts to be able to swim on the surface) for 2 ½ minutes on each side (flip using your skimmer) or until golden on the outside.
      frying oil
    • Remove with a skimmer and transfer to a wire rack to let excess oil drip off. Immediately coat in cinnamon sugar, then fill with pumpkin butter once cool enough to handle.
      cinnamon sugar, 1 jar pumpkin butter

    Notes

    • No Deep Fryer? While having one makes maintaining the right temperature easier, I don't have one either. I play with turning the gas burner on and off to hover around the same range when deep frying. It's actually super simple and I have always deep fried this way.
    • Need MORE donut recipes?I don't blame you. Also try my classic donuts, lemon donuts and quark donut holes. SO GOOD!
    •  

    Nutrition

    Calories: 340kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 77mgSodium: 70mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 2177IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 34mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Hallo, I'm Sophie!

    I am so happy that you are here at my German food and recipe blog named dirndl kitchen! Let's cook and bake authentic German recipes to help us feel closer to Germany!

    I moved from Germany to the United States in 2009 and soon started to terribly miss the German food (okay, my family, too)! I still miss a nice weekend brunch with crusty Brötchen (rolls) and Teilchen (pastries), Döner Kebab and German cake and coffee time at 15 o'clock! So I decided to educate my fellow Germany-missing friends by writing about German food and traditions. I do so in a fun way with easy-to-follow recipes! I hope you stay a while and bookmark some recipes, so we can cook and bake together.

    Mit viel Liebe (with much love)

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